NAFA Executive Director Phil Russo, CAE: Are You Sick of Business Travel?

In my conversations with fleet managers, it never ceases to amaze me how much travel you do for your jobs. Nowadays, especially, there seems to be a conference for every single tiny niche in the fleet profession just begging you to spend more time out of the office. Add to those conferences any meetings with your suppliers, OEM preview shows, NAFA chapter meetings, and time out of the office for other non-fleet duties you may have, and it’s a wonder you have any time at your desk to get anything done.

But I have the solution for you. There is one event you can attend that will cover every need you have, answer all your questions, put you elbow-to-elbow with the right people, save you money, reduce your time out of the office, and help you look like a genius to your boss. Pretty good combination, huh?

The event is NAFA’s Institute & Expo (I&E), this year taking place April 23-26 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. 

NAFA’s I&E is the world’s largest fleet management event with more than 2,000 industry professionals on hand. If you want to meet the movers and shakers, or make deals with the players, NAFA’s I&E is the place to be. I’ve been told fleet managers get more business done in four days at I&E than they could in a year’s worth of traveling. Talk about a time- and money-saver!

In terms of subject matter, the 2013 I&E agenda includes all the subjects most important to you: saving money/cutting costs, safety, technology, fuels, and personal/professional development. No need to go to two or three separate conferences for each subject, NAFA’s I&E has them all covered. Check out the complete, detailed agenda under the "Attendees" tab at www.nafainstitute.org.

Another thing: don’t believe all the stuff you might hear about NAFA’s I&E being only for government fleet managers, or only for corporate fleet managers. Last year, of the 532 fleet managers at I&E (the largest gathering of fleet managers anywhere!) nearly 55 percent were corporate fleet managers and just over 45 percent were government fleet managers. That’s a pretty fair split, if you ask me.

NAFA’s I&E covers all fleet segments, from government, to corporate, to utility, to university, to public safety, and everything in between.  Our "big tent" approach allows you to not only meet, but learn from others in your same segment as well as those in other segments. (Spend 10 minutes with Steve Saltzgiver, the Director of Fleet Operations at Coca Cola, and, by the way, the I&E Conference Chairman, and tell me you couldn’t learn a thing or two from him regardless of whether you run a pharma fleet or a truck fleet.)

Also, NAFA’s I&E has the right level of information and education for everyone. For those new to the industry, we have "fleet 101" courses; for veterans we have "masters" level courses; and of course there’s lots of good stuff for those in between. 

Finally, NAFA’s I&E saves you money compared with other conferences. As a NAFA Member, the most you will pay for a four-day, all-access pass is $539 (through March 7). That includes two huge all-you-can-eat-and-drink cocktail receptions/parties, four breakfasts, four lunches, all coffee breaks, access to all speaker handouts, entrance to all sessions, and admission to the Expo on both days. Other conferences charge a similar rate, but for just two days, not as many meals, not as many networking events, and exhibit floors that are not even half of NAFA’s size.

There’s a lot to be said for size – a lot of good things. To paraphrase Elvis’ old marketing message, "2,000 fleet people can’t be wrong." 

I encourage you to register now for NAFA’s 2013 I&E. I guarantee it will cover every need you have, answer all your questions, put you elbow-to-elbow with the right people, save you money, reduce your time out of the office, and help you look like a genius to your boss. If it doesn’t, I’ll give you your money back.*

I look forward to seeing you in Atlantic City this April!

Sincerely,

Phil

*Yes, I just offered you a money-back guarantee on your I&E registration fee if you are not completely satisfied with your I&E experience. Of course, there are a couple of requirements: you have to stay at least one night at the Taj Mahal Hotel as part of NAFA’s block of rooms there and you have to write to me and tell me why you weren’t satisfied.